The CCTV Paradox: High Hopes, Mixed Results

 

 

Security is a major concern for organisations and society in the modern world. Numerous technologies, including the CCTV surveillance systems, have been developed and deployed to address this. These systems are often perceived as effective in preventing and deterring crimes and offences.

However, is their effectiveness as unquestionable as it is generally thought to be?

This article aims to explore this question in depth. We will first examine the general expectations towards surveillance cameras and the limits of their effectiveness. Then, we will highlight the importance of human interaction in the efficacy of these systems. Finally, we will discuss the fundamental principles for the optimal use of surveillance cameras, including the coupling of humans and machines and the choice of the appropriate surveillance mode.

By addressing these points, we hope to provide a balanced and nuanced perspective on surveillance cameras’ effectiveness in reducing offence risks within organisations.

 

CCTV effectiveness: a general perception

 

Expectations towards surveillance CCTV

 

Surveillance cameras are often seen as an effective tool for preventing and combating crime in the security environment (Piza et al., 2019). Within organisations, these primary security devices are commonly used to secure places. The general idea is that the mere fact of being filmed can influence individuals’ behaviour and deter criminal acts.

 

Limiting the effectiveness of monitoring CCTV

 

However, this perception of the effectiveness of surveillance cameras is being challenged. Not because these technologies do not work but rather because certain factors prevent their effective use. Indeed, the pervasive introduction of new security technologies into our daily lives tends to reduce our thinking to the primacy of instantaneity. This approach favours solutionist thinking (Vigouroux-Zugasti, 2018), which advocates for security technologies as a solution to the problem, achievable just by pressing a button. In our context, this substitution does not mean replacing humans but rather transferring their tasks (and the risk) to machines. Consequently, popular thinking tends to assume that, from a solutionist perspective, the machine will carry out the task without needing human intervention, and therein lies the issue.

 

The importance of human interaction to CCTV effectiveness

 

The need to reflect on humanity and its complexity

 

This solutionist vision, which places technology at the center of the security strategy, neglects a fundamental aspect: the human being and its complexity. Implementing security technologies cannot be effective without thoroughly reflecting on the interaction between humans and technology. It is important to understand that a surveillance system’s effectiveness depends not only on the technology itself but also on how people use it. For instance, the effectiveness of intrusion detection can be considered substantial if the gap between the detection of offences by supervisors and the response by operational staff in the field is appropriate. A response time that is too long to stop an infraction after detection could be considered as an absence of response.

Then, research shows that new technology should not be used as a tool of substitution but as augmentation (Lollia, 2023). This augmentation could be seen as ‘symbiotic amplification‘ in the sense that a new organ would replace a missing organ with more strength (Zacklad, 2018).

There are many business drivers behind implementing CCTVs within organisations (economic, for example). However, it is important to remember that CCTVs cannot replace operational security staff. On the contrary, they should be considered as tools to assist them in their missions.

 

Consequences of failing to reflect and accept

 

The absence of this reflection and the non-acceptance of the collaboration between humans and technology can lead to inefficient use of surveillance tools, including surveillance CCTV. Many ground observations show that, without an answer, offences may initially decrease without human intervention following a camera’s detection but eventually increase again. Offenders get used to the presence of cameras and the lack of response, adopting avoidance strategies and continuing their criminal activities, sometimes even in front of the cameras.

 

Fundamental principles for optimal use of surveillance CCTV

 

The coupling of the human being and the machine as a principle of effectiveness

 

Therefore, it is clear that human action is necessary, not just any action. This action must be effective over time; that is to say, an appropriate response to the action is required.
It is, therefore, essential to establish a coupling of human and machine, where human  and machine work together to achieve effectiveness collaboratively (Lollia, 2021). This is the second necessary element for the optimal use of surveillance CCTV.

 

Choosing the type of monitoring

 

Finally, the third argument is that the proper use of surveillance cameras lies in establishing the choice of surveillance mode. The choice between mechanical and environmental surveillance is a determinant. Research shows that in certain places, an environmental type of surveillance system is more appropriate than a mechanical one (Seifi et al., 2023). It is, therefore, crucial to choose the right type of surveillance depending on the specific context

A compelling example of a physical security strategy based on environment is the Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). This strategy is gaining popularity and is supported by governments across Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and South Africa (Cozens & Love, 2015).

In conclusion, while surveillance cameras are a valuable tool in the fight against crime, their effectiveness depends on several factors. Understanding that technology alone cannot solve all security problems is essential. A more holistic approach, which considers the interaction between human and machine and chooses the right type of surveillance depending on the context, is necessary for the optimal use of surveillance CCTV.

 

References

• Lollia, F. (2021). Digital transformation : A literature review of the integration of artificial intelligence into the company’s organisational strategy. An International and Interdisciplinary Perspective on Digital Transformation: The Case of Developing and Emerging Economies./Workshop international” Une perspective internationale et interdisciplinaire sur la transformation numérique”.
• Lollia, F. (2023). June 8, 2023, Annecy Attack : Reflections on Technologies for Security “, Scientific Blog | 2023, published on The Security Corner.
  URL : https://fabrice-lollia.com/en/blog-scientifique/public-security/augmented-security-and-proactivity-in-annecy/.
• Piza, E. L., Welsh, B. C., Farrington, D. P., & Thomas, A. L. (2019). CCTV surveillance for crime prevention : A 40‐year systematic review with meta‐analysis. Criminology & Public Policy, 18(1), 135‑159. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-9133.12419
• Seifi, M., Cozens, P., Reynald, D., Haron, S. H., & Abdullah, A. (2023). How effective are residential CCTV systems : Evaluating the impact of natural versus mechanical surveillance on house break-ins and theft in hotspots of Penang Island, Malaysia. Security Journal, 36(1), 49‑81. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41284-022-00331-8
• Vigouroux-Zugasti, E. (2018). Morozov Evgeny, 2014. Pour tout résoudre, cliquez ici : L’aberration du solutionnisme technologique: Limoges : Fyp éditions. ISBN 978-2-36405-115-7. 22,50 €. Revue française des sciences de l’information et de la communication, 13. https://doi.org/10.4000/rfsic.3573
• Zacklad, M. (2018). Intelligence Artificielle : Représentations et impacts sociétaux. 15 pages. https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-02937255